Node/network aggregation gateway device

ABSTRACT

A method, gateway device, computer and computer to program product for monitoring responder interaction with equipment and credentialing of a responder are provides. A gateway device includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store responder credentials and equipment data. The processor is in communication with the memory and is configured to translate equipment data received from equipment in a first format according to a first protocol to a second format according to a second protocol, the translated equipment data to be relayed to a computer. The processor is also configured to register equipment data in the memory. The gateway device also includes a transceiver configured to receive the equipment data from external equipment, transmit responder credentials to the computer and transmit the translated equipment data to the computer.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to wireless communications in a firstresponder environment, and in particular to tracking first respondersand equipment usage.

BACKGROUND

Disasters and emergencies, whether natural or caused by man, are anunfortunate fact of life. Advance planning and preparation are keyfactors in dealing with such incidents. Preparedness relating todisasters and emergency incidents, particularly those which involveresponders such as fire personnel, police, military, EMT/paramedics,doctors, nurses, and the like, plays a significant role in aidingpositive outcomes during situations where first responders are called onto help.

Accountability for all responders at a headquarters, such as a firestation, and at a disaster or emergency site is a key concern for allincident commanders overseeing a group of responders. During anincident, emergency responders from various departments or agencies,such as fire, police, medical workers, federal agents, or even utilityworkers may become involved at the incident site. Some of theseindividuals may not possess the requisite devices or equipment tocommunicate with incident commanders or other supervisory personnel.Similarly, an incident commander often does not have the relevantinformation about responders from other departments or agencies who areinvolved in the incident. Thus, accountability may not be achieved forall responders.

An on-site commander often needs to know the number of responders onsite, and what equipment they have and the state of that equipment, inorder to properly staff the disaster and determine whether additionalreinforcements must be called in. It is also important to knowidentifying factors about the responders on site, such as their positionor rank, in order to establish a proper chain of command in dealing withthe incident at hand.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments advantageously provide a method, gateway device,computer and computer program product for monitoring responderinteraction with equipment and credentialing of a responder. Accordingto one aspect, a gateway device is configured to be worn by a responderand to monitor interaction of the responder with equipment. The gatewaydevice includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured tostore responder credentials and equipment data. The processor is incommunication with the memory and is configured to translate equipmentdata received from equipment in a first format according to a firstprotocol to a second format according to a second protocol, thetranslated equipment data relayable to a computer. The processor is alsoconfigured to register equipment data in the memory. The gateway devicealso includes a transceiver configured to receive the equipment datafrom external equipment, transmit responder credentials to the computerand transmit the translated equipment data to the computer.

According to this aspect, in some embodiments, the transceiver includescircuitry to receive and transmit according to at least one of thefollowing radio access technologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wirelesslocal area networks (WLAN), Zigbee®, and TycoNet™. In some embodiments,the computer hosts Service and Asset Management (SAM) software and thesecond format and second protocol are compatible with SAM software inputrequirements. In some embodiments, the equipment from which equipmentdata is translatable by the processor includes at least one of ahandheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, an in-mask display, a consolefor a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and a personal distressunit (PDU). In some embodiments, the responder credentials includebiometric data. In some embodiments, at least one of the equipment dataand responder credentials are stored at a remote location. In someembodiments, the gateway device also includes an accelerometer to detectan acceleration of the gateway device exceeding a threshold to promptthe gateway device to communicate with the computer. In someembodiments, the gateway device further includes an operational statusindicator. In some embodiments the operational status indicator gives avisual indication of signal strength of signals received from externalequipment.

According to another aspect, a method in a gateway device configured tobe worn by a responder and to monitor interaction of the responder withequipment is provided. The method includes storing responder credentialsand equipment data. The method further includes translating equipmentdata received from equipment in a first format according to a firstprotocol to a second format according to a second protocol, thetranslated equipment data relayable to a computer. The method furtherincludes receiving equipment data from external equipment, transmittingresponder credentials to the computer and transmitting the translatedequipment data to the computer.

According to this aspect, in some embodiments, the receiving andtransmitting is according to at least one of the following radio accesstechnologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wireless local area networks (WLAN),Zigbee®, and TycoNet™. In some embodiments, the computer hosts Serviceand Asset Management (SAM) software and the second format and secondprotocol are compatible with SAM software input requirements. In someembodiments, the equipment from which equipment data is translatableincludes at least one of a handheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, anin-mask display, a console for a self-contained breathing apparatus(SCBA), and a personal distress unit (PDU). In some embodiments, theresponder credentials include biometric data. In some embodiments, atleast one of the equipment data and responder credentials are stored ata remote location. In some embodiments, the method further includesdetecting an acceleration of the gateway device exceeding a threshold toprompt the gateway device to communicate with the computer. In someembodiments, the method includes indicating an operational status ofequipment. In some embodiments, indicating an operational status of theequipment includes giving a visual indication of signal strength ofsignals received from external equipment.

According to another aspect, a method in a computer for verifyingresponder credentials of a responder and correlating equipment data withthe responder is provided. The method includes receiving respondercredentials from a gateway device registered to a responder. The methodfurther includes comparing the received responder credentials to storedresponder credentials corresponding to the responder in order to verifythe received responder credentials. The method further includesreceiving equipment data from the gateway device and correlating theequipment data with the responder.

According to another aspect, a computer is configured to verifyresponder credentials of a responder and correlating equipment data withthe responder. The computer includes a memory configured to storeresponder credentials and equipment data. The computer also includes aprocessor in communication with the memory and configured to receiveresponder credentials from a gateway device registered to a responderand compare the received responder credentials to stored respondercredentials corresponding to the responder in order to verify thereceived responder credentials. The processor is also configured toreceive equipment data from the gateway device and correlate theequipment data with the responder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present embodiments, and theattendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system configuredaccording to principles set forth below;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a gateway device configured according toprinciples set forth below;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a computer configured according toprinciples set forth below; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for monitoring responderinteraction with equipment; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for verifying credentialsof a responder and associating equipment data with the responder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that theembodiments reside primarily in combinations of apparatus components andprocessing steps related to tracking responders and equipment usage.Accordingly, components have been represented where appropriate byconventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specificdetails that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments so as not toobscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the descriptionherein.

As used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top”and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entityor element from another entity or element without necessarily requiringor implying any physical or logical relationship or order between suchentities or elements.

Some embodiments include a node/network aggregation gateway device(“gateway device”) for on-scene communications that includes acommunication hub which translates communications and data fromdisparate devices on and/or used by the responder and transmits thatinformation to interested participants or stakeholders such as anincident commander. Communication devices and equipment with which thegateway device may communicate include, for example, interpersonalcommunications devices such as the EPIC 3 Products for radio interfaceand talk around commercially provided by Scott Safety of Monroe, N.C.,handheld radios, thermal imaging cameras, in-mask displays, gasdetectors, consoles for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) suchas the Scott Safety Air Pak, Scott Safety® PDU (personal distress unit),personal alert safety system (PASS), BLUETOOTH lapel speaker microphone(BT-LSM), Scott EPIC Radio Interface (RI) & thermal imaging in-mask(TIM) (e.g., SCOTT SIGHT), smart devices, biometric devices and/or otherdata generating devices.

The gateway device communicates with a multitude of devices usingwireless communication. Examples of radio access technologies forproviding wireless communication may include BLUETOOTH networks,cellular networks, wireless local area networks (WLAN), ZIGBEE networks,TycoNet™ networks, or any other suitable means of wireless communicationbetween devices. The gateway device may also include an RFID transmitterto transmit data to an RFID reader at a computer or other device.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is known in the art as the network ofphysical objects or “things” embedded with electronics, software,sensors, and network connectivity, which enables these objects tocollect and exchange data across existing network infrastructure. Insome embodiments, the gateway device may communicate with the physicalobjects, such as responder equipment, via the Internet.

The gateway device also carries a responder's personalinformation—herein referred to as responder credentials—so that thesecredentials can be captured by various other devices and softwareapplications. An Incident Management component of the system tracks andplaces responders in assignments according to National IncidentManagement Standards (NIMS) using Incident Command Systems (ICS)Protocol.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication network 10configured in accordance with principles set forth herein. The wirelesscommunication network 10 includes a cloud 12 which may include theInternet and/or the public switched telephone network (PSTN), as well asa mobile ad hoc network (MANET). Cloud 12 may also serve as a backhaulnetwork of the wireless communication network 10. The wirelesscommunication network 10 includes one or more gateway devices 14A and14B, referred to collectively herein as gateway devices 14. Each gatewaydevice 14 is associated with a responder, such as a first responder, andstores responder credentials 18 of the responder and also storesequipment data 20, such as equipment identifiers and status information.The gateway device 14 may be small such as about the size of a cellphone and worn or possessed by the responder as by attachment toclothing such as a belt, or kept in a pocket of the responder.

Each gateway device 14 may be configured to communicate with responderequipment 16A and 16B, referred to collectively herein as responderequipment 16. The responder equipment 16 may include at least one of ahandheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, an in-mask display, a consolefor a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and a personal distressunit (PDU). The responder equipment may also include an emergencyvehicle such as a fire engine. For example, the equipment may transmitan equipment identifier, a status or condition of the equipment, and ameasurement by the equipment. This transmitted information may bereceived by the gateway device 14 in a first format according to a firstprotocol native to the equipment. The gateway device 14 may translatethis information into a second format according to a second protocolunderstandable by a computer such as the computer 22A, 22B or 22C,referred to collectively herein as computers 22. Note that the computer22 may be a wireless device.

A computer 22 may be installed at a central location such as a firestation or police station, or at a location that is proximal to a rescuescene, and may be used to monitor responders and their interactions withequipment. In particular, the computer 22 may host Service and AssetManagement (SAM) software, where the second format and second protocolare compatible with SAM software input requirements. Also, the computer22 may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configuredto read responder credentials 18 from the gateway device 14. Note that agateway device 14 may communicate directly with a computer 22A or 22B orindirectly with a computer 2C via the cloud. The computer 22 may be atower computer, laptop computer, I-PAD, another wireless device, etc.Note that the gateway devices 14A and 14B may directly communicate usinga wireless communication technology. In this way, one gateway device,e.g., gateway device 14A, may determine its proximity to another gatewaydevice, e.g., gateway device 14B, and may determine a strength of asignal from the other gateway device, e.g., gateway device 14B. In oneembodiment, the proximity may be determined using a signal strength suchas a BLUETOOTH signal strength.

In some embodiments, the computer 22 may be in direct communication withresponder equipment 16, such as a fire truck, and may be in directcommunication with the router or wireless modem 24 to connect to thecloud 12. In some embodiments, SAM software may be installed on thelaptop computer 22B or 22C, which may provide local monitoringcapabilities to monitor the gateway devices 14 and the responderequipment 16 to which they connect. Also, in some embodiments, someresponder equipment 16 may communicate directly with other responderequipment 16. This may be done by wireline or wirelessly usingBluetooth, Wi-Fi, a personnel accountability system such as the ScottElectronic Management System (SEMS-2), native mobile radio technology orother radio access technology. Further, the gateway device 14 may alsoreceive data from sensors 17 which may be installed in a smart building.This sensor data contributes to the equipment data 20 that the gatewaydevice 14 relays to a central location such as computer 22A, 22B, or viathe cloud 12, computer 22C.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a gateway device 14 constructed inaccordance with principles set forth herein. The gateway device 14includes processing circuitry 28. In some embodiments, the processingcircuitry 28 may include a memory 30 and processor 32, the memory 30containing instructions which, when executed by the processor 32,configure processor 32 to perform the one or more functions describedherein. In addition to a traditional processor and memory, processingcircuitry 28 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/orcontrol, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/orFPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application SpecificIntegrated Circuitry).

Processing circuitry 28 may include and/or be connected to and/or beconfigured for accessing (e.g., writing to and/or reading from) memory30, which may include any kind of volatile and/or non-volatile memory,e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory)and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM(Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). Such memory 30 may beconfigured to store code executable by control circuitry and/or otherdata, e.g., data pertaining to communication, e.g., configuration and/oraddress data of nodes, etc. Processing circuitry 28 may be configured tocontrol any of the methods described herein and/or to cause such methodsto be performed, e.g., by processor 32. Corresponding instructions maybe stored in the memory 30, which may be readable and/or readablyconnected to the processing circuitry 28. In other words, processingcircuitry 22 may include a controller, which may comprise amicroprocessor and/or microcontroller and/or FPGA (Field-ProgrammableGate Array) device and/or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)device. It may be considered that processing circuitry 28 includes ormay be connected or connectable to memory, which may be configured to beaccessible for reading and/or writing by the controller and/orprocessing circuitry 28.

The memory 30 is configured to store responder credentials 18 andequipment data 20. The responder credentials 18 may include a uniqueresponder profile based on previously-entered individual responder data.The unique responder profile may include a unique personal identifiersuch as a unique code. The creation of a unique code corresponding to aparticular responder may serve to ensure that certain sensitivebiographical data (i.e. social security number, address, and the like)may not be immediately viewable by those viewing a user interface of thecomputer 22, while the responder is still accurately identified andaccounted for in the computer 22 via the formulated code.

For instance, in one embodiment, biographical information of a responderis input into the computer 22 during an initial registration of theresponder. This input may be performed manually or by scanning a driverlicense of the responder or by a device that records biometrics of theresponder. This, information may be transferred from the computer 22 tothe gateway device 14 for subsequent credentialing of the responder. Incertain embodiments, the responder profile may optionally comprise otheridentifying information in addition to the unique code, such as theresponder's first and last name, and biometric data such as eye color,iris pattern, fingerprint, blood type and genetic code. The responderprofile may optionally be updated to include other identifyinginformation, such as a photo or the like.

Equipment data 20 may include a unique identifier of each piece ofequipment 16 worn and/or used by the responder to whom the gatewaydevice 14 is assigned. The equipment data 20 may also include statusinformation concerning a condition or state of the equipment 16. Forexample, equipment data 10 may include an indication of remaining powerof an item of equipment. The equipment data 20 may also include ameasurement made by an item of equipment 16 such as detection of a gasby a gas detector. Equipment data 20 may be received in one format andtranslated to a different format compatible with a communicationsprotocol of the computer 22.

Thus, the processor 32 of the gateway device 14 may be programmed toimplement an information translator 34. The information translator 34 isconfigured to translate equipment data 20 received from equipment 16 ina first format according to a first protocol to a second formataccording to a second protocol to be received by the computer 22.

The processor 32 may also be programmed to implement a positiondeterminer 36 which determines the position of the gateway device 14. Anaccelerometer 38 is configured to detect a sudden acceleration followedby a sudden deceleration which occurs when a responder taps the gatewaydevice 14 to trigger the gateway device 14 to transmit and/or receiveequipment data 20 and/or transmit responder credentials 18. A magnitudeof acceleration and/or deceleration may be compared to a threshold todetermine if the intent by the responder is to trigger data transfer bythe gateway device 14. The accelerometer can also be used to detect whenthe responder has potentially incurred an unintended action such asfalling.

In some embodiments, the gateway device 14 also includes a userinterface 40 such as a display, an interactive display, etc., to enablethe user to view a state of the gateway device and may also indicate tothe responder a state of the equipment used and/or worn by theresponder.

The gateway device 14 includes at least one transceiver 42 to receiveequipment data 20 from responder equipment 16 and to transmit respondercredentials 18 and equipment data 20 to the computer 22 or to therouter/wireless modem 24 and thence, to the cloud. Multiple transceivers42 may be provided to enable communication via a plurality of radioaccess technologies. For example, one transceiver may be able tocommunicate with a piece of responder equipment via Bluetooth or Wi-Fitechnology and another transceiver may be able to communicate with thewireless modem or directly with the Internet via a 3^(rd) GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) protocol such as 4G (long term evolution(LTE)) cellular technology. The LTE technology may also be used toreceive data from other sensors 17 installed within a smart building.Data from these sensors 17 may also be forwarded to a central locationsuch as the computer 22. In addition, the transceivers 42 may include aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The gateway device 14 may alsoinclude other input elements (not shown) to allow the user to inputcredentials or allow an operator to program/configure the gateway device14. In some embodiments, the user interface (40) of the gateway device14 may have indicators, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), and thelike, to provide operational status indications to the user. Operationalstatus indications may include, but are not limited to, battery level ofthe gateway device 14, communications establishment/strength with otherdevices such the computer 22 and or router wireless/modem 24, etc.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a computer 22 configured to store andprocess responder credentials 18 and equipment data 20. The computerincludes processing circuitry 48. In some embodiments, the processingcircuitry 48 may include a memory 50 and processor 52, the memory 50containing instructions which, when executed by the processor 52,configure processor 52 to perform the one or more functions describedherein. In addition to a traditional processor and memory, processingcircuitry 48 may comprise integrated circuitry for processing and/orcontrol, e.g., one or more processors and/or processor cores and/orFPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and/or ASICs (Application SpecificIntegrated Circuitry).

Processing circuitry 48 may include and/or be connected to and/or beconfigured for accessing (e.g., writing to and/or reading from) memory50, which may include any kind of volatile and/or non-volatile memory,e.g., cache and/or buffer memory and/or RAM (Random Access Memory)and/or ROM (Read-Only Memory) and/or optical memory and/or EPROM(Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). Such memory 50 may beconfigured to store code executable by control circuitry and/or otherdata, e.g., data pertaining to communication, e.g., configuration and/oraddress data of nodes, etc. Processing circuitry 48 may be configured tocontrol any of the methods described herein and/or to cause such methodsto be performed, e.g., by processor 52. Corresponding instructions maybe stored in the memory 50, which may be readable and/or readablyconnected to the processing circuitry 48. In other words, processingcircuitry 48 may include a controller, which may comprise amicroprocessor and/or microcontroller and/or FPGA (Field-ProgrammableGate Array) device and/or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit)device. It may be considered that processing circuitry 48 includes ormay be connected or connectable to memory, which may be configured to beaccessible for reading and/or writing by the controller and/orprocessing circuitry 48.

The memory 50 is configured to store responder credentials 18 andequipment data 20. The processor 52 is configured to implementcredential verification 54 by receiving responder credentials from thegateway device 14 and comparing the received responder credentials to aset of responder credentials previously stored at the computer 22. Thiscomparison may be triggered when the responder comes in proximity to thecomputer 22. The computer 22 may have an RFID configured to read thecredentials wirelessly from the gateway device 14. If the storedresponder credentials and the received responder credentials match, thecomputer 22 registers the responder as being on duty.

In some embodiments, the processor 48 implements an equipment/respondercorrelator 56 which associates in memory the equipment data 20 receivedfrom the gateway device 14 to the responder whose credentials have beenverified.

The user interface 58 of the computer 22 enables a responder to causethe computer 22 to read the responder credentials 18 from the gatewaydevice 14. In some embodiments, the gateway device 14 may transmitequipment data 20 periodically to the computer 22 or in response to arequest transmitted wirelessly from the computer 22. The computer 22stores the received equipment data 20 and may display the equipment data20 via the user interface 58. Thus, the user interface 58 may include avideo monitor that displays a graphical user interface.

The transceiver 60 receives the responder credentials 18 and equipmentdata 20 from the gateway device 14 according to the second protocol andin a second format transmitted by the gateway device 14, as explainedabove. For example, the transceiver 60 may include an RFID reader and/ora BLUETOOTH or Wi-Fi transceiver.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process in a gateway device 14 formonitoring interaction of a responder with equipment 16. The processincludes storing responder credentials 18 and equipment data 20 in thememory 30 (block S100). The process further includes translating, viathe information translator 34, equipment data 20 received from equipment16 in a first format according to a first protocol to a second formataccording to a second protocol understandable by a computer 22 (blockS102). The process also includes receiving equipment data 20 fromexternal equipment 16 (block S104), transmitting responder credentials18 to the computer 22 (block S106) and transmitting equipment data 20 tothe computer 22 (block S108).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary process in a computer 22 forreceiving and verifying responder credentials 18 and receiving anddisplaying equipment data 20. The process includes receiving, via thetransceiver 60, responder credentials from a gateway device 14registered to a responder (block S110). The process also includesimplementing credential verification 54 by comparing the receivedresponder credentials 18 to stored responder credentials correspondingto the responder (block S112) The process also includes receivingequipment data from the gateway device (block S114) and correlating, viathe equipment/responder correlator 56, the equipment data 20 with theresponder (block S116).

EXAMPLE

Firefighter Mike arrives for his shift at the fire station. Uponarriving at the station he retrieves his gateway device 14 from acharging base, the gateway device 14 already having recorded hisresponder credentials 18. He walks to the computer 22 and touches hisgateway device 14 to an RFID reader in the computer 22. Staffingsoftware loaded in the computer 22 reads his gateway device 14 andreceiving Mike's responder credentials 18 from the gateway device 14,the computer 22 registers him as on duty. Mike places his gateway device14 on his belt and begins his shift at the department.

While performing the inspection of his Air Pak, Mike taps his gatewaydevice 14 to register into the Service and Asset Management (SAM)software of the computer 22. The responder credentials 18 received fromthe gateway device 14 allows the SAM to know that Mike Scott fromAnytown Fire Department is the person doing the inspection on thatparticular Air Pak. Further, in some embodiments, the gateway device 14receives equipment status data that is forwarded to the computer 22.

Shortly after Mike completes his inspection he is dispatched on anemergency call to respond to a structure fire. Mike quickly heads to thefire engine 16 and gets in the jump seat. An RFID reader or radio in thefire engine picks up on the signal from Mike's gateway device 14 andregisters the fact that Mike is on board. In route to the incident, Mikebegins to put on all his gear. Mike gets into his air pack and attacheshis gateway device 14. The gateway device 14 gathers data from theequipment Mike wears and/or uses and relays this data to the computer 22according to a protocol and format understandable by the computer 22.

Some embodiments advantageously provide a method, gateway device,computer and computer program product for monitoring responderinteraction with equipment and credentialing of a responder. Accordingto one aspect, a gateway device (14) is configured to be worn by aresponder and to monitor interaction of the responder with equipment.The gateway device (14) includes a memory (30) and a processor (32). Thememory (30) is configured to store responder credentials (18) andequipment data (20). The processor (32) is in communication with thememory (30) and is configured to translate equipment data received fromequipment in a first format according to a first protocol to a secondformat according to a second protocol, the translated equipment datarelayable to a computer (22). The processor (32) is also configured toregister equipment data in the memory (30). The gateway device (14) alsoincludes a transceiver (42) configured to receive the equipment data(20) from external equipment, transmit responder credentials (18) to thecomputer (22) and transmit the translated equipment data to the computer(22).

According to this aspect, in some embodiments, the transceiver (42)includes circuitry to receive and transmit according to at least one ofthe following radio access technologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wirelesslocal area networks (WLAN), Zigbee®, and TycoNet™. In some embodiments,the computer (22) hosts Service and Asset Management (SAM) software andthe second format and second protocol are compatible with SAM softwareinput requirements. In some embodiments, the equipment from whichequipment data (20) is translatable by the processor (32) includes atleast one of a handheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, an in-maskdisplay, a console for a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), anda personal distress unit (PDU). In some embodiments, the respondercredentials (18) include biometric data. In some embodiments, at leastone of the equipment data (20) and responder credentials (18) are storedat a remote location. In some embodiments, the gateway device (14) alsoincludes an accelerometer (38) to detect an acceleration of the gatewaydevice (14) exceeding a threshold to prompt the gateway device (14) tocommunicate with the computer (22). In some embodiments, the gatewaydevice (14) further includes an operational status indicator (40). Insome embodiments the operational status indicator (40) gives a visualindication of signal strength of signals received from externalequipment.

According to another aspect, a method in a gateway device (14)configured to be worn by a responder and to monitor interaction of theresponder with equipment is provided. The method includes storingresponder credentials (18) and equipment data (20). The method furtherincludes translating equipment data (20) received from equipment in afirst format according to a first protocol to a second format accordingto a second protocol, the translated equipment data relayable to acomputer (22). The method further includes receiving equipment data (20)from external equipment, transmitting responder credentials (18) to thecomputer and transmitting the translated equipment data to the computer(22).

According to this aspect, in some embodiments, the receiving andtransmitting is according to at least one of the following radio accesstechnologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wireless local area networks (WLAN),Zigbee®, and TycoNet™. In some embodiments, the computer hosts Serviceand Asset Management (SAM) software and the second format and secondprotocol are compatible with SAM software input requirements. In someembodiments, the equipment from which equipment data (20) istranslatable includes at least one of a handheld radio, a thermalimaging camera, an in-mask display, a console for a self-containedbreathing apparatus (SCBA), and a personal distress unit (PDU). In someembodiments, the responder credentials (18) include biometric data. Insome embodiments, at least one of the equipment data (20) and respondercredentials (18) are stored at a remote location. In some embodiments,the method further includes detecting an acceleration of the gatewaydevice exceeding a threshold to prompt the gateway device (14) tocommunicate with the computer (22). In some embodiments, the methodincludes indicating an operational status of equipment. In someembodiments, indicating an operational status of the equipment includesgiving a visual indication of signal strength of signals received fromexternal equipment.

According to another aspect, a method in a computer (22) for verifyingresponder credentials (18) of a responder and correlating equipment data(20) with the responder is provided. The method includes receivingresponder credentials (18) from a gateway device (14) registered to aresponder. The method further includes comparing the received respondercredentials (18) to stored responder credentials corresponding to theresponder in order to verify the received responder credentials (18).The method further includes receiving equipment data (20) from thegateway device (14) and correlating the equipment data (20) with theresponder.

According to another aspect, a computer (22) is configured to verifyresponder credentials (18) of a responder and correlate equipment data(20) with the responder. The computer (22) includes a memory (50)configured to store responder credentials (18) and equipment data (20).The computer (22) also includes a processor (52) in communication withthe memory (50) and configured to receive responder credentials (18)from a gateway device (14) registered to a responder and compare thereceived responder credentials (18) to stored responder credentialscorresponding to the responder in order to verify the received respondercredentials. The processor (52) is also configured to receive equipmentdata (20) from the gateway device (14) and correlate the equipment data(20) with the responder.

Thus, some embodiments provide a convenient way to monitor the presenceof responders and their interaction with equipment, enabling an onsitecommander to track who is on site and with what equipment eachresponders is equipped, as well as a status of that equipment andmeasurement data from that equipment. Further, some embodiments providethe advantage of translating equipment data (20) from a format native toa radio access technology of the equipment to a format native to a radioaccess technology of a computer (22) at a central or remote location.Advantages also include providing the responder a status in one displayof a plurality of equipment items he or she is wearing or using.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the conceptsdescribed herein may be embodied as a method, data processing system,and/or computer program product. Accordingly, the concepts describedherein may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirelysoftware embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardwareaspects all generally referred to herein as a “circuit” or “module.”Furthermore, the disclosure may take the form of a computer programproduct on a tangible computer usable storage medium having computerprogram code embodied in the medium that can be executed by a computer.Any suitable tangible computer readable medium may be utilized includinghard disks, CD-ROMs, electronic storage devices, optical storagedevices, or magnetic storage devices.

Some embodiments are described herein with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, systems and computerprogram products. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer (therebycreating a special purpose computer), special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable memory or storage medium that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. It is to beunderstood that the functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out ofthe order noted in the operational illustrations. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantiallyconcurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Although some ofthe diagrams include arrows on communication paths to show a primarydirection of communication, it is to be understood that communicationmay occur in the opposite direction to the depicted arrows.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the conceptsdescribed herein may be written in an object-oriented programminglanguage such as Java® or C++. However, the computer program code forcarrying out operations of the disclosure may also be written inconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, theremote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a localarea network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection maybe made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet usingan Internet Service Provider).

Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connectionwith the above description and the drawings. It will be understood thatit would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to literally describe andillustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments.Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/orcombination, and the present specification, including the drawings,shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of allcombinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein,and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shallsupport claims to any such combination or subcombination.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that theembodiments described herein are not limited to what has beenparticularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unlessmention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all ofthe accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modificationsand variations are possible in light of the above teachings withoutdeparting from the scope of the following claims.

1. A gateway device configured to be worn by a responder and to monitorinteraction of the responder with equipment, the gateway devicecomprising: a memory configured to store: responder credentials;equipment data; a processor in communication with the memory andconfigured to: translate equipment data received from equipment in afirst format according to a first protocol to a second format accordingto a second protocol, the translated equipment data relayable to acomputer; and register equipment data in the memory; and a transceiverconfigured to: receive the equipment data from external equipment;transmit responder credentials to the computer; and transmit thetranslated equipment data to the computer.
 2. The gateway device ofclaim 1, wherein the transceiver includes circuitry to receive andtransmit according to at least one of the following radio accesstechnologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wireless local area networks (WLAN),Zigbee®, and TycoNet™.
 3. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein thecomputer hosts Service and Asset Management (SAM) software and thesecond format and second protocol are compatible with SAM software inputrequirements.
 4. The gateway device of claim 1, wherein the equipmentfrom which equipment data is translatable by the processor includes atleast one of a handheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, an in-maskdisplay, a console for a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), anda personal distress unit (PDU).
 5. The gateway device of claim 1,wherein the responder credentials include biometric data.
 6. The gatewaydevice of claim 1, wherein at least one of the equipment data andresponder credentials are stored at a remote location.
 7. The gatewaydevice of claim 1, further including an accelerometer to detect anacceleration of the gateway device exceeding a threshold to prompt thegateway device to communicate with the computer.
 8. The gateway deviceof claim 1, further comprising an operational status indicator.
 9. Thegateway device of claim 8, wherein the operational status indicatorgives a visual indication of signal strength of signals received fromexternal equipment.
 10. A method in a gateway device configured to beworn by a responder and to monitor interaction of the responder withequipment, the method comprising: storing responder credentials andequipment data; translating equipment data received from equipment in afirst format according to a first protocol to a second format accordingto a second protocol, the translated equipment data relayable to acomputer; receiving equipment data from external equipment; transmittingresponder credentials to the computer; and transmitting the translatedequipment data to the computer.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thereceiving and transmitting is according to at least one of the followingradio access technologies: Bluetooth®, cellular, wireless local areanetworks (WLAN), Zigbee®, and TycoNet™.
 12. The method of claim 10,wherein the computer hosts Service and Asset Management (SAM) softwareand the second format and second protocol are compatible with SAMsoftware input requirements.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein theequipment from which equipment data is translatable includes at leastone of a handheld radio, a thermal imaging camera, an in-mask display, aconsole for a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and a personaldistress unit (PDU).
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the respondercredentials include biometric data.
 15. The method of claim 10 whereinat least one of the equipment data and responder credentials are storedat a remote location.
 16. The method of claim 10, further comprisingdetecting an acceleration of the gateway device exceeding a threshold toprompt the gateway device to communicate with the computer.
 17. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising indicating an operational statusof equipment.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein indicating anoperational status of the equipment includes giving a visual indicationof signal strength of signals received from external equipment.
 19. Amethod in a computer for verifying responder credentials of a responderand correlating equipment data with the responder, the methodcomprising: receiving responder credentials from a gateway deviceregistered to a responder; comparing the received responder credentialsto stored responder credentials corresponding to the responder in orderto verify the received responder credentials; receiving equipment datafrom the gateway device; and correlating the equipment data with theresponder.
 20. A computer configured to verify responder credentials ofa responder and correlate equipment data with the responder, thecomputer comprising: a memory configured to store: respondercredentials; and equipment data; and a processor in communication withthe memory and configured to: receive responder credentials from agateway device registered to a responder; and compare the receivedresponder credentials to stored responder credentials corresponding tothe responder in order to verify the received responder credentials;receive equipment data from the gateway device; and correlate theequipment data with the responder.